‘Horns need one more win to advance to regional finals
By DAVID MAY | Special to Mineral Wells Area News
CLEBURNE – The Gordon Longhorns rallied for four runs in the sixth inning and then held off the Oglesby Tigers in the seventh for a 6-4 win in the first game of their best-of-three Class 1A regional semifinals series.
The win was Gordon’s eighth straight, with just one loss in their last 15 outings. Gordon improved to 19-4 on the season. The loss dropped the Tigers’ season mark to 19-8.
Aiden Shank started on the mound for the ‘Horns, tossing 5.1 innings of four-hit ball, allowing three runs (two earned). He struck out seven Tigers while allowing five walks. He threw 111 pitches and even preserved his win after retaking the mound to close out the game.
Playing at Cleburne High School, Gordon scored single runs in the second and third innings to take a 2-0 lead. Evan Jackson led off the second with a double and moved to third on a bunt single laid down by Brayden Walters. Walters stole second before Hudson Campbell was out at first on a dropped third strike. Both baserunners were held.
With two outs, Landon McDonald was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A full-count balk by Tigers pitcher Tucker Melton plated Jackson for the game’s first run.
In the top of the third, Maddox Stewart walked and reached third on Shank’s single. Stryker Reed’s fly was misplayed, allowing McDonald to touch home. Melton escaped further damage, striking out two Gordon hitters before bringing the inning to a close.
Oglesby took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth on the strength of Jaxon Markum’s three-run double. Gordon’s defense cut down one run at the plate ahead of Markum’s hit.
The ‘Horns turned the game back around in the top of the sixth, scoring four runs after two outs to start the frame. Pinch hitter L Heath was hit by a pitch. Noah Kostiha worked a walk. Pinch runner Kaden Crowe and Kostiha moved up a base on a passed ball. Stewart struck a two-run double to put Gordon back on top 4-3.
A walk to Shank had runners at first and second. Reed’s hard grounder back to the pitcher led to an error and Stewart scoring to make it 5-3. Shank then scored on a Jackson single.
The Tigers threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. After two outs, Oglesby had two batters reach on a single and a dropped third strike. A walk then loaded the bases. Shank retook the mound looking to record the game’s final out. He allowed a bases-loaded walk to make it 6-4 with the bags still full of Tigers. Shank closed it out with a swinging strike out to send the ‘Horns into celebration mode.
Stewart tossed one and two-thirds innings of scoreless ball for Gordon in relief. He allowed no hits while striking out three and walking one. He also went 1-for-3 at the plate and led the ‘Horns with two runs batted in. Jackson went 2-for-4 at the plate. Jaedon Dixon and Stewart each stole two bases as Gordon swiped six bags in the game.
The teams return to Cleburne Friday for the second game. First pitch is 6:30 p.m. If necessary, Game Three is set for noon Saturday. The winner advances to the Region 1 finals against the winner of the Bryson-Perrin-Whitt series.